• BMB Reports
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• 제42권8호
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• pp.486-492
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• 2009

OsDREB1D, a special DREB (dehydration responsive element binding protein) homologous gene, whose transcripts cannot be detected in rice (Oryza sativa L), either with or without stress treatments, was amplified from the rice genome DNA. The yeast one-hybrid assay revealed that OsDREB1D was able to form a complex with the dehydration responsive element/C-repeat motif. It can also bind with a sequence of LTRE (low temperature responsive element). To analyze the function of OsDREB1D, the gene was transformed and over-expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana cv. Columbia. Results indicated that the over-expression of OsDREB1D conferred cold and high-salt tolerance in transgenic plants, and that transgenic plants were also insensitive to ABA (abscisic acid). From these data, we deduced that this OsDREB1D gene functions similarly as other DREB transcription factors. The expression of OsDREB1D in rice may be controlled by a special mechanism for the redundancy of function.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권11호
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• pp.5375-5379
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• 2012

Introduction: Published studies on the association between Nijmegen breakage syndrome 1(NBS1) gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk have been inconclusive, and a meta-analysis was therefore performed for clarification. Methods: Eligible articles were identified by a search of MEDLINE and EMBASE bibliographic databases for the period up to March 2012. The presence of between-study heterogeneity was investigated using the chi-square-based Cochran's Q statistic test. When there was statistical heterogeneity, the random effects model was chosen; otherwise, fixed effects estimates were reported as an alternative approach. Results: A total of 11 eligible articles (14 case-control studies) were identified, nine case-control studies were for the 657del5 mutation (7,534 breast cancer cases, 14,034 controls) and five case-control studies were for the I171V mutation (3,273 breast cancer cases, 4,004 controls). Our analysis results indicated that the 657del5 mutation was associated with breast cancer risk (carriers vs. non-carriers: pooled OR =2.63, 95% CI: 1.76-3.93), whereas the I171V mutation was not (carriers vs. non-carriers: pooled OR =1.52, 95% CI: 0.70-3.28). Conclusion: The present meta-analysis suggests that the 657del5 gene mutation in the NBS1 gene plays a role in breast cancer risk, while the I171V mutation does not exert a significant influence.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권6호
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• pp.2519-2522
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• 2012

Objective: Data from a recent genome-wide association studiesy of gastric cancer (GC) and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Chinese living in the Taihang Mountains of north-central China suggest that 1q22 and 10q23 are susceptibility-associated regions for GC. However, this has not been confirmed in southern Chinese populations. The aim of this study was to investigate whether these polymorphisms at 1q22 and 10q23 are associated with the risk of GC in a southern Chinese population. Methods: We selected seven top significant associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at 1q22 and 10q23 and conducted a population-based case-control study in a southern Chinese population. Genotypes were determined using MassARRAYTM system (Sequenome, San Diego, CA). Results: Two SNPs at 1q22, rs4072037 and rs4460629, were significantly associated with a reduced risk of GC, best fitting the dominant genetic model. Logistic regression models adjusted for age and sex showed that rs4072037 AG and GG (OR=0.64, P=0.017, compared with AA) and rs4460629 CT and TT (OR=0.54, P=0.0016, compared with TT) significantly reduced the risk of GC. However, no significant results for the five SNPs at 10q23 were obtained in this study. Conclusion: These outcomes indicate that 1q22 is associated with GC susceptibility in this southern Chinese population, while an association for the locus at 10q23 was not confirmed.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.179-187
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• 2009

Five kinds of coumarin compounds were successfully purified from Angelica gigas Nakai by using recyclingpreparative HPLC and identified as decursin (1), decursinol angelate (2), 7-demethylsuberosine (3), marmesin (4), and decursinol (5) by NMR analyses. None of the purified compounds in ethanol showed DPPH radical scavenging activity, while the A. gigas extract (AGNEX) displayed a significant level of activity. Interestingly, compounds 3 in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) showed good $ABTS^+$ radical scavenging activity ($IC_{50}=8.1{\mu}g$/mL) as did compounds 4 and 5. The anti-inflammatory activities of the purified compounds were evaluated and compared using the NO concentration assay and western blot analysis on LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. NO production was significantly suppressed by all the compounds in a dose-dependent manner among which compounds 1, 2, and 3 showed very good activities with $IC_{50}$ values of 7.4, 6.5, and $7.6{\mu}g$/mL, respectively. Treatment with compounds 1-5 effectively suppressed the expression levels of iNOS, IL-1$\beta$, and COX-2, which are responsible for promoting the inflammatory process. Thus, the ethanol extract and coumarin compounds of A. gigas Nakai hold promise for use as potential anti-inflammatory agents.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제34권11호
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• pp.3257-3260
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• 2013

Two new diphenylethylenes, gramniphenols H and I (1 and 2), together with six known diphenylethylenes (3-8), were isolated from Arundina graminifolia. The structures of 1-8 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques. Compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against five human tumor cell lines. Compound 1 showed cytotoxicity against PC3 cells with $IC_{50}$ value of 3.5 ${\mu}M$. Compound 2 showed cytotoxicity against NB4 and PC3 cells with $IC_{50}$ values of 3.6 and 3.8 ${\mu}M$, respectively.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제34권10호
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• pp.3013-3016
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• 2013

Two new isoflavanones, (3R) 7,2',4'-trihydroxy-3'-methoxy-5-methoxycarbonyl-isoflavanone (1) and (3R) 7,2'-dihydroxy-3',4'-dimethoxy-5-methoxycarbonyl-isoflavanone (2), together with six known isoflavanones (3-8), were isolated from the stems of Cassia siamea. The structure of 1-8 was elucidated by spectroscopic methods including extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques. Compounds 1, 2, 5-8 were evaluated for their anti-tobacco mosaic virus (Anti-TMV) activity. The results showed that compounds 1 and 6 showed potential anti-TMV activity with inhibition rates of 24.6% and 26.9%, respectively. Compounds 2, 5, 7, 8 also showed anti-TMV activity with inhibition rates in the range of 11.8-18.6%.

• 한국습지학회지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.101-120
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• 2012

람사르 습지로 지정된 오대산 습지 중 하나인 질뫼늪 보호구역에서 2007년부터 2011년까지 생태적 특성을 파악하였다. 조사 결과, 유출수는 연평균 0.80 $m^3/min$이었다. 질뫼늪 보호구역 수질 중 pH는 평균 6.1, EC는 19 ${\mu}S/cm$, 칼륨, 칼슘, 암모늄 등의 양이온과 질산, 그리고 유효 인산 분석 결과 모두 평균 2.0 mg/L 이하였다. 퇴적층은 다른 산지 습지인 용늪이나 왕등재늪에 비하여 덜 발달되었다. 식물상으로는 49과 118속 163종 3아종, 29변종, 6품종으로 163종류가 조사되었으며, 물이끼가 우점하는 장소와 사초기둥에 환경부 지정 멸종위기 II급인 기생꽃이 서식하고 있었다. 식생 조사 결과 질뫼늪 보호구역에 서식하는 식물종은 시기에 따라 분포의 확장과 감소를 반복하면서 우점도의 변화가 나타났다. 질뫼늪은 물이끼를 기반으로 한 이탄습지로서 식물종 다양성 등 그 보존 가치가 뛰어난 것으로 판단되나 보호지역 주변에 위치한 목장 등 잠재적 위험 요소들이 존재하므로 지속적인 관심과 관리가 필요하다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권13호
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• pp.5445-5451
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• 2015

Fascin-1 (FSCN1) is an actin-bundling protein that induces cell membrane protrusions, increases cell motility, and is overexpressed in various human epithelial cancers, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We analyzed various protein-protein interactions (PPI) of differentially-expressed genes (DEGs), in fascin knockdown ESCC cells, to explore the role of fascin overexpression. The node-degree distributions indicated these PPI sub-networks to be characterized as scale-free. Subcellular localization analysis revealed DEGs to interact with other proteins directly or indirectly, distributed in multiple layers of extracellular membrane-cytoskeleton/ cytoplasm-nucleus. The functional annotation map revealed hundreds of significant gene ontology (GO) terms, especially those associated with cytoskeleton organization of FSCN1. The Random Walk with Restart algorithm was applied to identify the prioritizations of these DEGs when considering their relationship with FSCN1. These analyses based on PPI network have greatly expanded our comprehension of the mRNA expression profile following fascin knockdown to future examine the roles and mechanisms of fascin action.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.1677-1684
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• 2016

Background: Among the factors reported to determine the quality of life of breast cancer patients are socio-demographic background, clinical stage, type of treatment received, and the duration since diagnosis. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the quality of life (QOL) scores among breast cancer patients at a Malaysian public hospital. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study of breast cancer patients was conducted between March to June 2013. QOL scores were determined using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its breast cancer supplementary measure (QLQ-BR23). Both the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 assess items from functional and symptom scales. The QLQ-C30 in addition also measures the Global Health Status (GHS). Systematic random sampling was used to recruit patients. Results: 223 breast cancer patients were recruited with a response rate of 92.1%. The mean age of the patients was 52.4 years (95% CI = 51.0, 53.7, SD=10.3). Majority of respondents are Malays (60.5%), followed by Chinese (19.3%), Indians (18.4%), and others (1.8%). More than 50% of respondents are at stage III and stage IV of malignancy. The mean Global Health Status was 65.7 (SD = 21.4). From the QLQ-C30, the mean score in the functioning scale was highest for 'cognitive functioning' (84.1, SD=18.0), while the mean score in the symptom scale was highest for 'financial difficulties' (40.1, SD=31.6). From the QLQ-BR23, the mean score for functioning scale was highest for 'body image' (80.0, SD=24.6) while the mean score in the symptom scale was highest for 'upset by hair loss' (36.2, SD=29.4). Two significant predictors for Global Health Status were age and employment. The predictors explained 10.6% of the variation of global health status ($R^2=0.106$). Conclusions: Age and employment were found to be significant predictors for Global Health Status (GHS). The Quality of Life among breast cancer patients reflected by the GHS improves as age and employment increases.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제57권2호
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• pp.123-129
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• 2014

The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Camellia oleifera seed oil were studied. Four kinds of seed oil samples were prepared, crude oil and refined oil, extracted by cold pressing method (CPC, CPR), and organic solvent extraction (OSC, OSR). Antioxidant activity analysis was measured in 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)-diammonium salt, ferric reducing Ability of Plasma, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assays. Besides, the percentage of inhibition of red blood cells hemolysis induced by 2,2'-azobis(2-amidnopropane) dihydrochlorid, the lag time of LDL conjugated dienes formation in vitro, and the inhibitors of loss in tryptophan fluorescence were all used to estimate the antioxidant activity of the samples. The total phenolic contents (TPC) were detemined by Folin-Ciocalteu method. The TPC of the C. oleifera seed oils can be arranged in descending order: CPC ($1.9172{\mu}g/mL$) > OSC ($1.5218{\mu}g/mL$) > CPR ($1.0611{\mu}g/mL$) > OSR ($0.6782{\mu}g/mL$). And the oils were investigated for activity against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus niger. The results showed the antioxidant activity of crude oil by cold pressing method was stronger than others, and all oils did inhibit activity of the top three bacteria expert A. niger. The further significance of the study contributes to measure the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the potential health benefits by the different methods of preparation and the oil of C. oleifera seeds acting as free radical scavenger, pharmaceuticals and preservatives may offer some information in medicine and cosmetic not just in food field.